The No. 4 Clemson baseball team fell to the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday afternoon, losing 7-6 at Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
While the Tigers (33-9, 14-6 ACC) led for the majority of the contest, Louisville was able to rally back late, scoring five of their seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings to steal the win away and remain in contention to win the series.
The Cardinals would hit three home runs in the two combined innings. Louisville’s Dylan Hoy would fire a home run in the leadoff spot in the seventh, followed by Eddie King Jr. in the inning to tie the game. An inning later, a throwing error and a JT Benson blast would give Louisville (25-17, 10-10 ACC) a two-run lead going into the ninth.
Clemson would have life, however, in the final inning. Jacob Jarrell gave the team hope with a solo homer with two outs in the inning. However, the Tigers could not rally late, forcing a rubber match on Sunday to determine the winner of the series.
It wasn’t the first time the catcher went yard in the contest. In the fourth, he would deliver a 2-run home run that capped off a 3-run inning for the Tigers, leading 4-1 after the frame. It was the third and fourth homer for the sophomore this season.
A Jarren Purify blast in the sixth inning would continue to hold the lead before the Cardinals came firing back an inning later.
Pitcher Reed Garris would receive the loss on the scoresheet for Clemson, allowing two runs following 1 ⅔ innings of play. He would only allow one hit, which was the Benson go-ahead homer. It is his first loss of the season.
Ethan Darden had the start for the Tigers, pitching 5 ⅔ innings while allowing two runs in his time on the mound. He would strikeout one batter and allow seven hits.
Parker Detmers would receive the win on the other side, while Kaleb Corbett would earn his first save of the season for Lousiville.
Head coach Erik Bakich and his team will play the Cardinals again for the final time on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of the series between the two ACC teams. First pitch is at 4:00 p.m.
